Required reading for ALL atheists, christians, and agnostics!

[amnesiac]

So every week, it's nearly a given that someone will post a thread on creationism, evolution, Jesus, or some other hotly contested subject between Christians and Non-Christians. I figured that anything to alleviate these often pointless debates might be welcome here.

I am an agnostic. My girlfriend is a Christian - non-denominational and fairly liberal, however. I figured that since religion was a big part of her life I should at least *understand* her faith if I wasn't going to join it. So I turned to a book that one of my friends bought me a while back that I had never had a chance to read.

The book is called A Case For Christ by Lee Strobel.

Backstory: Lee Strobel was an athiest and an investigative journalist whose wife converted to Christianity. Determined to get to the root of the "facts" and prove her "wrong", he set out on in pursuit of a massive empirical investigation into the existence of Christ. What he finds surprises even him.

I've just started reading this book. I have very, very strong agnostic views, and have been a firm believer in science and logic over religion. The way Strobel presents all evidence objectively and looks at everything from all sides creates a very convincing argument. Definitely something to read regardless of your religious stance.

 

[notfred]

Regardless, the point of the book is not to provide an objective viewpoint, but to convert people to christianity. Anyway, I think 7 years in christian schools and churches was enough education to know where these people are coming from, and I still don't agree.

<- agnostic.

 

[luv2chill]

Oh, I thought you were going to point people to

This Site

which I definitely see as required reading for all atheists, christians, agnostics, and people of any other religious orientation

l2c

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: luv2chill
Oh, I thought you were going to point people to

This Site

which I definitely see as required reading for all atheists, christians, agnostics, and people of any other religious orientation

l2c

Hey, that's a useful site. Bookmarked. Thank you.

 

Taken from a paper I recently wrote.

?I?ve always believed in numbers, and the equations and logics that lead to reason. But after a lifetime of such pursuits, I ask, what truly is logic, who decides reason? My quest has taken me through the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional, and back. And I have made the most important discovery of my career, the most important discovery of my life. It is only in the mysterious equations of love, that any logical reasons can be found.? Perhaps the same thing can be applied faith and love of God.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: OmegaNauce
Taken from a paper I recently wrote.

?I?ve always believed in numbers, and the equations and logics that lead to reason. But after a lifetime of such pursuits, I ask, what truly is logic, who decides reason? My quest has taken me through the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional, and back. And I have made the most important discovery of my career, the most important discovery of my life. It is only in the mysterious equations of love, that any logical reasons can be found.? Perhaps the same thing can be applied faith and love of God.

You plagarized "A Beautiful Mind" for your term paper? I hope you didn't pawn that off as original work.

 

[oLLie]

I'm just looking at the title's of the chapters and I'm already laughing and rolling my eyes.

Sorry...

The Evidence of Appearances: Was Jesus Seen Alive after His Death on the Cross?

How can this ever really be established or even (seriously) argued?

The Fingerprint Evidence: Did Jesus - and Jesus Alone - Match the Identity of the Messiah?

the Identity of the Messiah... who would know that sort of thing for a fact?

*edit* I suppose definitive answers to these questions are in the book and that's why I'm supposed to read it?
I find it interesting that his book centers around Jesus, but doesn't really examine the validity of the Bible... too many idiosynchrasies for Mr. Strobel to argue for maybe?

*edit2* as you can see, I'm a skeptical bastage... but not too close-minded to maybe pick it up and think about it

 

[Legendary]

Originally posted by: NogginBoink

Originally posted by: OmegaNauce
Taken from a paper I recently wrote.

?I?ve always believed in numbers, and the equations and logics that lead to reason. But after a lifetime of such pursuits, I ask, what truly is logic, who decides reason? My quest has taken me through the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional, and back. And I have made the most important discovery of my career, the most important discovery of my life. It is only in the mysterious equations of love, that any logical reasons can be found.? Perhaps the same thing can be applied faith and love of God.

You plagarized "A Beautiful Mind" for your term paper? I hope you didn't pawn that off as original work.

hahahaha so true...a paper he recently wrote...or maybe he quoted it (without citations) and then the last line is a comment that's in his paper.

 

[Keego]

The book is called A Case For Christ by Lee Strobel.

Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Antoneo]

Amnesiac 2.0: It seems that you are reading the book and I was wondering if the author, Lee Strobel, backs up his points with real physical factual evidence (rather impossible) or is it just a bunch of "leads" that point in the direction that he wants. Or perhaps he even asks his readers to simply believe since that alone is the power of faith? I am not bashing religion or anything like that, I have just seen books that are simply bogus and have yet to find one that makes sense to one who is a "doubting thomas".

The way Strobel presents all evidence objectively and looks at everything from all sides creates a very convincing argument.

Can you provide a quote that illustrates this? Sorry, I find it hard to see how someone, from our time, can prove something/someone...

 

[Kerouactivist]

I really found this quote on the site luv2chill reccomended
by Darwin to say a lot about the way that I feel.

The mystery of the beginning of all things is insoluble by us; and I for one must be content to remain an Agnostic."

"I think an Agnostic would be the more correct description of my state of mind. The whole subject [of God] is beyond the scope of man's intellect

 

[gopunk]

um, does this guy just seek to prove that christ existed? because i don't doubt that.... it's the god part i have a hard time believing, and i don't see how he can prove that.

 

[datalink7]

I'm an atheist.

I believe that Jesus existed, just wasn't the son of god.

 

[LakerGod]

Originally posted by: luv2chill
Oh, I thought you were going to point people to

This Site

which I definitely see as required reading for all atheists, christians, agnostics, and people of any other religious orientation

l2c

Great site. Very surprised that it wasn't biased or used sterotypes when I tested my own religion.

 

[fluxquantum]

man, another thread on religion, science, etc.

 

[jjones]

I prefer the book, "Jesus Christ: The Son of Dog".

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: gopunk
um, does this guy just seek to prove that christ existed? because i don't doubt that.... it's the god part i have a hard time believing, and i don't see how he can prove that.

I read it about a month ago.

I couldn't stand it. Strobel was one of the worst writers I've read in a long time, and I've read a couple bookshelves full in my lifetime. His points are extraordinarily pointed, and not written from a skeptics viewpoint.

If you've never done any sort of skeptical reading of Christian literature, maybe you'd enjoy it. As someone looking for something deeper than a surface explanation and credentials from Christian scholars, I didn't.